A Manhattan man who stomped on a 61-year-old Asian American man’s head last week was arrested on Tuesday morning.
The details: Jarrod Powell, 49, was charged with two felony assault counts when police apprehended him at around 2:45 a.m. following the Friday attack on Yao Pan Ma near Third Avenue and East 125th Street, NBC New York reported.
- Police found Powell after being told that he was spotted at a shelter near the scene of the incident.
- The New York Police Department Hate Crimes Task Force is currently investigating the attack.
- Charges against Powell will be upgraded to “attempted murder and felony assault as a hate crime,” according to ABC7.
The incident: Ma was collecting cans in the area when the suspect suddenly allegedly struck Ma from behind and knocked him to the ground before kicking him repeatedly in the head.
- The 61-year-old immigrant was left unconscious and currently remains in a medically induced coma.
- A GoFundMe campaign was created for his family and has so far raised over $400,000, surpassing its $50,000 goal.
Rise of anti-Asian attacks: The incident is one of many recent anti-Asian attacks that have surged throughout the U.S. since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic.
- Powell’s arrest comes after an NYPD announcement of a new civilian panel that will assist the NYPD with determining hate crime cases.
- As of April 20, almost half of the 135 attacks that were considered hate crimes in New York City this year have targeted Asians, according to ABC7.
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